HISTORY OF FIJI
Melanesian and Polynesian peoples settled the Fijian islands some 3,500 years ago. European traders and missionaries arrived in the first half of the 19th century, and the resulting disruption led to increasingly serious wars among the native Fijian confederacies. One Ratu (chief), Cakobau, gained limited control over the western islands by the 1850s, but the continuing unrest led him and a convention of chiefs to cede Fiji unconditionally to the British in 1874.
The pattern of colonialism in Fiji during the following century was similar to that in many other British possessions: the pacification of the countryside, the spread of plantation agriculture, and the introduction of Indian indentured labor. Many traditional institutions, including the system of communal land ownership, were maintained.
Fiji soldiers fought alongside the Allies in the Second World War, gaining a fine reputation in the tough Solomon Islands campaign. The United States and other Allied countries maintained military installations in Fiji during the war, but Fiji itself never came under attack.
In April 1970, a constitutional conference in London agreed that Fiji should become a fully sovereign and independent nation within the Commonwealth. Fiji became independent on October 10, 1970. Post-independence politics came to be dominated by the Alliance Party of Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. The Indian-led opposition won a majority of House seats in 1977, but failed to form a government out of concern that indigenous Fijians would not accept Indo-Fijian leadership. In April 1987, a coalition led by Dr. Timoci Bavadra, an ethnic Fijian supported by the Indo-Fijian community, won the general election and formed Fiji’s first majority Indian government, with Dr. Bavadra serving as Prime Minister. Less than a month later, Dr. Bavadra was forcibly removed from power during a military coup led by Lt. Col. Sitiveni Rabuka on May 14, 1987.
After a period of deadlocked negotiations, Rabuka staged a second coup on September 25, 1987. The military government revoked the constitution and declared Fiji a republic on October 10. This action, coupled with protests by the Government of India, led to Fiji’s expulsion from the Commonwealth of Nations and official nonrecognition of the Rabuka regime from foreign governments, including Australia and New Zealand. On December 6, Rabuka resigned as head of state and Governor General Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau was appointed the first President of the Fijian Republic. Mara was reappointed Prime Minister, and Rabuka became Minister of Home Affairs.
The new government drafted a new Constitution that went into force in July 1990. Under its terms, majorities were reserved for ethnic Fijians in both houses of the legislature. Previously, in 1989, the government had released statistical information showing that for the first time since 1946, ethnic Fijians were a majority of the population. More than 12,000 Indo-Fijians and other minorities had left the country in the 2 years following the 1987 coups. After resigning from the military, Rabuka became prime minister under the new constitution in 1993.
Tensions simmered in 1995-96 over the renewal of land leases and political maneuvering surrounding the mandated 7-year review of the 1990 constitution. The Constitutional Review Commission produced a draft constitution that expanded the size of the legislature, lowered the proportion of seats reserved by ethnic group, and reserved the presidency for ethnic Fijians, but opened the position of prime minister to all races. Prime Minister Rabuka and President Mara supported the proposal, while the nationalist indigenous Fijian parties opposed it. The reformed constitution was approved in July 1997. Fiji was readmitted to the Commonwealth in October.
The first legislative elections held under the new constitution took place in May 1999. Rabuka’s coalition was defeated by the Fiji Labor Party, which formed a coalition, led by Mahendra Chaudhry, with two small Fijian parties. Chaudhry became Fiji’s first Indo-Fijian prime minister. One year later, in May 2000, Chaudhry and most other members of parliament were taken hostage in the House of Representatives by gunmen led by ethnic Fijian nationalist George Speight. The standoff dragged on for 8 weeks–during which time Chaudhry was removed from office by the then-president due to his incapacitation. The Republic of Fiji military forces then seized power and brokered a negotiated end to the situation. Speight was later arrested when he violated its terms. In February 2002, Speight was convicted of treason and is currently serving a life sentence.
Former banker Laisenia Qarase was named interim prime minister and head of the interim civilian administration by the military and Great Council of Chiefs in July. The Supreme Court reaffirmed the validity of the Constitution and ordered the Chaudhry government returned to power in March 2001, after which the President dissolved the Parliament elected in 2000 and appointed Qarase head of a caretaker government until elections could be held in August. Qarase’s newly formed Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua (SDL) party won the elections. The SDL declined to include the largely Indo-Fijian Fiji Labor Party (FLP) in the Cabinet on a legal technicality. The 1997 Constitution states that any party receiving 10% or more of the seats in Parliament must be given an opportunity to be represented in the Cabinet in proportion to its numbers in the House of Representatives. In 2004, the Supreme Court affirmed the constitutional provision and instructed the Prime Minister to offer cabinet seats to the FLP. Subsequent negotiations between the two sides regarding the cabinet portfolios proved unsuccessful until November 26, 2004, when Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, of the ruling SDL party, and Mahendra Chaudhry, of the opposition FLP, agreed not to pursue further the dispute over the composition of the cabinet.
TIMELINE
| Year | Fiji Timeline Event |
| 1643 | Dutch explorer Abel Tasman is the first European to visit the islands.Dutch explorer Abel Tasman is the first European to visit the islands. |
| 1774 | Visited by Captain James Cook of England.Visited by Captain James Cook of England. |
| 1800 | Traders visited to get sandalwood.Traders visited to get sandalwood. |
| 1844 | First Roman Catholic missionaries arrive in Lakeba.First Roman Catholic missionaries arrive in Lakeba. |
| 1845 | The 11 year warOn a June morning the Roko Tui Dreketi, Banuve, was invited aboard Cakobau’s canoe, Ra Marama, where he was to formally accept Cakobau’s offer of peace, but no sooner had he stepped on board when Cakobau split his head with his battle axe. Chief Cakobau gains control of most of western Fiji, while another Christian convert, Ma’afu from Tonga, controls the east. |
| 1868 | Cakobau sells Suva – the current capital of Fiji – to an Australian company. Cakobau sells Suva – the current capital of Fiji – to an Australian company. |
| 1871 | European settlers at Levuka island organize a national government .European settlers at Levuka island organize a national government and name Cakobau king of Fiji following local disorder. |
| 1874 | Fiji becomes a British crown colony at the request of Cakobau and other chiefs.Fiji becomes a British crown colony at the request of Cakobau and other chiefs. |
| 1875 | Measles epidemic wipes out one-third of the Fijian population.Measles killed over 40,000 in Fiji, reportedly after Ratu Cakobau and his two sons returned from Australia, where they contracted the disease. |
| 1876 | Sir Arthur Gordon issues a proclamation Sir Arthur Gordon issues a proclamation pardoning all hill tribes, bringing to an end all the wars in Viti Levu. |
| 1879 | Laborers brought in from the Indian subcontinent to work on sugar plantations. More than 60,000 indentured laborers brought in from the Indian subcontinent to work on sugar plantations. |
| 1880 | The United States Exploring Expedition reached Fiji.The United States Exploring Expedition reached Fiji, after spending three months in Fiji waters charting the major islands of the group under the leadership of Commodore Charles Wilkes |
| 1882 | The capitol was moved from Levuka to Suva.The capitol was moved from Levuka to Suva. |
| 1914 | Fijians served as allies to France in World War I.Fijians served as allies to France in World War I. |
| 1943 | WWIIFiji was occupied by Allied forces. Fijiians served in the army in the Solomons and a Bougainville. They terrified the Japanese. Indian emigrants did not serve in the army. |
| 1963 | Women and Fijians enfranchised; predominantly Fijian Alliance Party (AP) set up. Women and Fijians enfranchised; predominantly Fijian Alliance Party (AP) set up. |
| 1968 | University of the South Pacific established.University of the South Pacific established. |
| 1970 | Fiji becomes independent with Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara of the AP as prime minister. Fiji becomes independent with Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara of the AP as prime minister. |
| 1987 | Political rivalry of Fijiians and Indians brought on a coup and military rule by Fijians.Rabuka stages a second coup, proclaims Fiji a republic and appoints Governor-General Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau president; Ganilau in turn appoints Ratu Mara prime minister; Fiji expelled from Commonwealth; Britain, the United States, Australia and New Zealand suspend aid. |
| 1990 | New constitution enshrining political dominance for indigenous Fijians introduced. A new constitution created the Democratic Republic of Fiji, with an elected House and and appointed senate. |
| 1992 | Elections name Sitiveni Rabuka as Prime Minister.Elections name Sitiveni Rabuka as Prime Minister. |
| 1997 | Fiji re-admitted to the Commonwealth after it introduces a non-discriminatory constitution. Fiji re-admitted to the Commonwealth after it introduces a non-discriminatory constitution. |
| 1999 | Labor party candidate, Mahendra Chaudhry is elected as prime minister.Mahendra Chaudhry, an ethnic Indian, becomes prime minister after the Fiji Labour Party emerges from the general election with enough seats to rule on its own. |
| 2000 | Commonwealth suspends Fiji. Commonwealth suspends Fiji. |
| 2009 | The Commonwealth fully suspends Fiji The Commonwealth fully suspends Fiji after the refusal of the military government to bow to demands to call elections by 2010. It is only the second full suspension in the organization’s history. |
FLAG
Date of Adoption: 10 October 1970
Fiji flag description: light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Fijian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield depicts a yellow lion above a white field quartered by the cross of Saint George featuring stalks of sugarcane, a palm tree, bananas, and a white dove
DEMOGRAPHICS
Fijians are generally relaxed and courteous. They are proud of their traditions and culture.
| Population of Fiji | 957,780 |
| Nationality (noun) | Fijian(s) |
| Nationality (adjective) | Fijian |
| Ethnic Groups | Fijian 51% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture), Indian 44%, European, other Pacific Islanders, overseas Chinese, and other 5% (1998 est.) |
| Languages | English (official), Fijian, Hindustani |
| Percent of Population Age 0 to 14: | 28.90% |
| Male Children Age 0 to 14: | 130,409 |
| Female Children Age 0 to 14 : | 124,870 |
| Percent of Population Age 15 to 64: | 65.90% |
| Males Age 15 to 64: | 297,071 |
| Females Age 15 to 64: | 284,643 |
| Percent of Population Over 64: | 5.20% |
| Males Over 64: | 21,187.00 |
| Females Over 64: | 24,945.00 |
| Median Age: | 26.90 |
| Median Age (male): | 26.70 |
| Median Age (female): | 27.10 |
| Population Growth Rate: | 0.80% |
| Birth Rate: | 21.11 births/1,000 population |
| Death Rate: | 5.90 deaths/1,000 population |
| Net Migration Rate: | -7.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population |
| Infant Mortality Rate: | 11.00 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life Expectancy at Birth: | 71.31 |
| Total Fertility Rate: | 2.61 children born/woman |
| Sex Ratio (at birth): | 1.05 male(s)/female |
| Sex Ratio (under 15 years): | 1.04 male(s)/female |
| Sex Ratio (15 to 64 years): | 1.00 male(s)/female |
| Sex Ratio (65 years and older): | 0.81 male(s)/female |
| Sex Ratio Total Population: | 1.00 male(s)/female |
GEOGRAPHY
| Total Area: | 7,054 (sq miles), 18,270 (sq kilometers) |
| Land Area: | 7,054 (sq miles), 18,270 (sq kilometers) |
| Water Area: | 0 (sq miles), 0 (sq kilometers) |
| Land Boundaries: | 0 (miles), 0 (kilometers) |
| Irrigated Land: | 12 (sq miles), 30 (sq kilometers) |
| Coastline: | 436 (sq miles), 1,129 (sq kilometers) |
| Geographic Coordinates: | 18 00 S, 175 00 E |
| Terrain: | mostly mountains of volcanic origin |
| Highest Point: | Tomanivi 1,324 m |
| Lowest Point: | Pacific Ocean 0 m |
| Natural Resources: | timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower |
| Natural Hazards: | cyclonic storms can occur from November to January |
Fiji Geography: Fiji is referred to as “300 islands in the sun.” Of the 320 islands and islets that make up the Fiji group, only about 150 are permanently inhabited. The total land area of the country, 18,272 square kilometers (7,055 square miles). The largest island, Viti Levu, 10,386 square kilometers (4,101 square miles), has a mountainous interior penetrated by few roads. Most agricultural land and all towns are near the sea or along the river valleys. The highest point, Mt. Victoria, rises 1,323 meters (4,341 feet). Twenty-eight other peaks exceed 914 meters (3,000 feet). Vegetation on the windward side of the islands is luxuriously tropical, while grasslands prevail on the leeward sides.
The climate is warm and humid. Suva, on the eastern “wet” side of Viti Levu, averages 120 inches of rain annually. The western and northern sides of the island are drier and sunnier. Temperatures in Suva range from the high 60’s in the winter, to the mid 90’s in the summer. Most of Fiji’s sugarcane, the nation’s primary crop, is grown on the western side. Nadi (pronounced Nandi), site of the international airport, lies on the western side, benefiting from the better weather and visibility. Many of Fiji’s tourist resorts, some ranking among the best in the world, are in the West.
CLIMATE & WEATHER
The wet summer season lasts from December through March. The cooler, drier winter season falls between May and October. Although temperature changes are noticeable, the average number of days of rainfall in Suva varies little from month to month. Humidity during summer is usually high, often reaching 90% and above. Fiji is in the hurricane zone. The last hurricane to hit Suva directly was Cyclone Kina, in January 1991. In March 1997, Cyclone Gavin swept through northern Vanua Levu and the northwestern part of Viti Levu, devastating several outer island-groups. Southeast trade winds blow steadily from March to October, with variable winds during the Southern Hemisphere summer
GOVERNMENT
| Country Name (long form): | Republic of the Fiji Islands |
| Country Name (short form): | Fiji |
| Fiji Government Type: | republic |
| Capital City: | Suva |
| Independence: | 10 October 1970 (from UK) |
| National Holiday: | Independence Day, second Monday of October (1970) |
| Constitution: | enacted 25 July 1997; effective 28 July 1998; note – constitution encourages multiculturalism and makes multiparty government mandatory |
| Suffrage: | 21 years of age; universal |
| Legal System: | common law system based on the English model |
Executive Branch:
Chief of State: President Ratu Epeli NAILATIKAU
Head of Government: Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE; note – although QARASE is still the legal prime minister, he has been confined to his home island; former President ILOILOVATU appointed Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA interim prime minister under the military regime
Secondary Head of Government: Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament and responsible to Parliament; note – coup leader Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA has appointed an interim cabinet
Elections: under the constitution, president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); in 2007 the Great Council of Chiefs was suspended from its role in electing the president; prime minister appointed by the president
Election Results: Ratu Epeli NAILATIKAU was appointed by Chief Justice Anthony GATES
Legislative Branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (32 seats; 14 members appointed by the president on the advice of the Great Council of Chiefs, 9 appointed by the president on the advice of the Prime Minister, 8 on the advice of the opposition leader, and 1 appointed on the advice of the council of Rotuma) and the House of Representatives (71 seats; 23 members reserved for ethnic Fijians, 19 reserved for ethnic Indians, 3 reserved for other ethnic groups, 1 reserved for the council of Rotuma constituency encompassing the whole of Fiji, and 25 open seats; members serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives – last held on 6-13 May 2006 (next to be held in 2011)
election results: House of Representatives – percent of vote by party – SDL 44.6%, FLP 39.2%, UPP 0.8%, independents 4.9%, other 10.5%; seats by party – SDL 36, FLP 31, UPP 2, independents 2
Judicial Branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); Court of Appeal; High Court; Magistrates’ Courts
Administrative Divisions: 4 divisions and 1 dependency*; Central, Eastern, Northern, Rotuma*, Western
Political Parties and Leaders: Dodonu Ni Taukei Party or DNT [Fereti S. DEWA]; Fiji Democratic Party or FDP [Filipe BOLE] (a merger of the Christian Democrat Alliance or VLV [Poesci Waqalevu BUNE], Fijian Association Party or FAP, Fijian Political Party or SVT [Sitiveni RABUKA] (primarily Fijian), and New Labor Unity Party or NLUP [Ofa SWANN]); Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDHRY]; General Voters Party or GVP (became part of United General Party); Girmit Heritage Party or GHP; Justice and Freedom Party or AIM; Lio ‘On Famor Rotuma Party or LFR; National Federation Party or NFP [Pramond RAE] (primarily Indian); Nationalist Vanua Takolavo Party or NVTLP [Saula TELAWA]; Party of National Unity or PANU [Ponipate LESAVUA]; Party of the Truth or POTT; United Fiji Party/Sogosogo Duavata ni Lewenivanua or SDL [Laisenia QARASE]; United Peoples Party or UPP [Millis Mick BEDDOES]
Political Pressure Groups and Leaders: Group Against Racial Discrimination or GARD [Dr. Anirudk SINGH] (for restoration of a democratic government); Viti Landowners Association
International Organization Participation: ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C (suspended), CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca (suspended), SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNMIT, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
International Law Organization Participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Diplomatic Representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Winston THOMPSON
chancery: 2000 M Street, NW, Suite 710, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 466-8320
FAX: [1] (202) 466-8325
Diplomatic Representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador C. Steven MCGANN
embassy: 31 Loftus Street, Suva
mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva
telephone: [679] 331-4466
FAX: [679] 330-0081
ECONOMY
Fiji, endowed with forest, mineral, and fish resources, is one of the most developed of the Pacific island economies, though still with a large subsistence sector. Sugar exports and a growing tourist industry – with 300,000 to 400,000 tourists annually – are the major sources of foreign exchange. Sugar processing makes up one-third of industrial activity. Long-term problems include low investment, uncertain land ownership rights, and the government’s ability to manage its budget. Yet short-run economic prospects are good, provided tensions do not again erupt between indigenous Fijians and Indo-Fijians.
| GDP | $3,869,000,000 (USD) |
| GDP Per Capita | $4,400 (USD) |
| Population Below Poverty Line | 25% |
| Inflation Rate | 4.80% |
| Labor Force | 335,000 |
| Labor Force By Occupation | agriculture; including subsistence agriculture 70% |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.60% |
| Fiscal Year | calendar year |
| Annual Budget | $1,363,000,000 (USD) |
| Industries | tourism, sugar, clothing, copra, gold, silver, lumber, small cottage industries |
| Industrial Growth Rate | 0% |
| Agriculture Products | sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes, bananas; cattle, pigs, horses, goats; fish |
| Currency Code | FJD |
CURRENCY
Fji currency code: FJD
Fiji Media
| Internet Hosts | 17,088 |
| Telephones | 136,800 |
| Cell Phones | 437,000 |
| Internet Users | 80,000 |
| Internet Country Code | .fj |
| Radio Broadcast Stations | AM 13, FM 40, shortwave 0 |
| Television Broadcast Stations | NA |
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